Know Yourself, Know Your Business
Know Yourself, Know Your Business
Have you ever felt like your business doesn’t fully reflect who you are? Or maybe you’ve wondered why managing your team or making decisions feels harder than it should? The truth is, understanding yourself—your strengths, challenges, and how you naturally operate—is the first step toward unlocking your full potential as an entrepreneur.
In this blog, you’ll discover how the Myers-Briggs Personality Test can help you gain clarity, not only about who you are but also about how you can show up more effectively in your business. You’ll also learn why personality frameworks aren’t about limiting you but empowering you, and how this self-awareness can transform your leadership, strategy, and team dynamics.
What is the Myers-Briggs Personality Test?
The Myers-Briggs Personality Test, or MBTI, is one of the most popular tools for understanding personality types. It divides people into 16 distinct categories based on four pairs of traits:
Introversion (I) vs. Extraversion (E): Do you recharge by spending time alone or with others?
Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N): Do you focus on details and facts, or big-picture ideas and possibilities?
Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F): Do you make decisions based on logic or values?
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P): Do you prefer structure and plans, or flexibility and spontaneity?
Your results combine these traits to give you a personality type, like ENTJ (a decisive leader) or INFP (a values-driven visionary).
Why Personality Types Aren’t Limiting
If the idea of being assigned a “type” feels restrictive, you’re not alone. Many people worry that tools like Myers-Briggs will put them in a box. But here’s the truth: your personality type doesn’t define you—it helps you understand yourself better.
Think of it as a roadmap. Knowing your type gives you insight into your strengths and areas for growth, so you can make smarter choices and build systems that work for you. It’s not about saying, “This is who I am, and that’s all I’ll ever be.” Instead, it’s about recognising, “This is how I naturally operate—and here’s how I can work smarter because of it.”
How Knowing Your Personality Type Helps Your Business
1. Playing to Your Strengths
Are you someone who thrives on big ideas but struggles with execution? Tools like Myers-Briggs can help you identify this and hire team members who complement your style. For example, if you’re an ENFP—a creative thinker who loves brainstorming—you might thrive with a detail-oriented operations manager to bring your ideas to life.
2. Better Team Dynamics
Understanding your team members’ personalities is just as important as knowing your own. Personality insights can help you avoid misunderstandings, communicate more effectively, and foster a culture where everyone feels valued.
For example, let’s say one of your employees is an introvert who needs quiet time to focus. You might assign them tasks that require deep concentration, rather than expecting them to thrive in high-energy brainstorming sessions.
3. Making Smarter Decisions
Your personality type can also reveal how you approach decision-making. A “thinking” type might excel at making logical, data-driven decisions but struggle with emotionally charged situations. On the flip side, a “feeling” type might prioritise harmony and relationships but find it harder to make tough calls. Recognising these tendencies allows you to balance your natural instincts with a more well-rounded approach.
Practical Steps to Apply Personality Insights
1. Take the Test
Start by taking the Myers-Briggs test yourself. There are plenty of free versions available online if you don’t want to commit to a formal assessment.
2. Reflect on Your Strengths and Weaknesses
What do your results say about how you lead, communicate, and handle challenges? Be honest with yourself.
3. Assess Your Team’s Personalities
Encourage your team members to take the test too. Knowing their personality types can help you assign roles and responsibilities that align with their strengths.
4. Adapt Your Leadership Style
Use what you’ve learned to adjust how you lead. If you’re naturally a big-picture thinker, for example, make a conscious effort to focus on the details when needed—or delegate that responsibility to someone who excels at it.
5. Keep Growing
Your personality type is just a starting point. Use it as a tool for self-awareness and growth, but don’t let it become a crutch. Remember, you’re always evolving as an entrepreneur.
Conclusion: Self-Awareness Is a Business Strategy
Knowing yourself is more than just a personal journey—it’s a critical business strategy. The more you understand how you naturally think, lead, and communicate, the better equipped you’ll be to align your business with your strengths. And when you understand your team, you can build a culture that fosters collaboration and success.
So, the next time you feel stuck or misaligned in your business, ask yourself this: What does my personality say about how I operate—and how can I use that to work smarter?
After all, the better you know yourself, the better you can lead your business.
